ABSTRACT
Both urban flood alleviation and agricultural land drainage schemes can have significant adverse and unintended environmental effects. The environmental impact of land drainage is highly complex although certain overriding considerations stand out. The routine maintenance of flood relief and other urban drainage channels similarly requires an understanding of habitat conservation. The policies of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food towards increased drainage and those of the Department of the Environment towards nature conservation have quite simply been contradictory, and such a situation cannot contribute to conflict resolution ‘on the ground’. Creative development of new wetland sites can retain species diversity within land-drainage schemes if funds are available and an appropriate design and management programme is pursued. When seeking to protect plants and wildlife from the adverse effects of drainage the fundamental principles of conservation and management are in essence similar whether protecting otters, reed beds, birds or fish.
